The Prophet's Smile

the ProPhet’s smile:
Characteristics of
Muhammad
1/21/2011 – 1/23/2011
Academics Department,
Qabeelat Durbah
academics@durbah.org

The Prophet’s Smile: Characteristics of Muhammad

Contents

NOTES
Page 3

VOCABULARY LIST
Page 79

APPENDIX I: Study Charts & Diagrams
Page 81

APPENDIX II: Exam Information
Page 84

APPENDIX III: Resources
Page 86

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Notes

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INTRODUCTION
Abdullah ibn Salaam ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said when he heard about Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬he wanted
to know who he was because everyone was talking about him and he wanted to know if this was
the coming prophet – he went out of curiosity. When I saw his face, I knew this cannot be the
face of a liar.
“When I heard of the appearance of the Messenger of Allah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬I began to make
inquiries about his name, his genealogy, his characteristics his time and place and I began to
compare this information with what is contained in our books. From these enquiries, I became
convinced about the authenticity of his Prophethood and I affirmed the truth of his mission.
However, I concealed my conclusions from the Jews. I held my tongue...
Then came the day when the Prophet, peace be on him, left Makkah and headed for Yathrib.
When he reached Yathrib and stopped at Quba, a man came rushing into the city calling out to
people and announcing the arrival of the Prophet. At that moment, I was at the top of a palm tree
doing some work. My aunt Khalidah bint al-Harith, was sitting under the tree. On hearing the
news, I shouted: 'Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!' 'God is Great! God is Great!'
When my aunt heard my takbir, she remonstrated with me:
'May God frustrate you ... By God, if you had heard that Moses was coming you would not have
been more enthusiastic.'
'Auntie, he is really by God, the 'brother' of Moses and follows his religion. He was sent with the
same mission as Moses.'
She was silent for a while and then said:
'Is he the Prophet about whom you spoke to us who would be sent to confirm the truth preached
by previous (Prophets) and complete the message of his Lord?'
'Yes.' I replied.
Without any delay or hesitation, I went out to meet the Prophet. I saw crowds of people at his
door. I moved about in the crowds until I reached close to him. The first words I heard him say
were:
'O people! Spread peace ... Share food ... Pray during the night while people (normally) sleep...
and you will enter Paradise in peace...'
I looked at him closely. I scrutinized him and was convinced that his face was not that of an
imposter. I went closer to him and made the declaration of faith that there is no god but Allah
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah….”

It was so simple for everyone who looked at him to know that he was the Messenger. His smile
was so captivating because it radiated his character.

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Abdullah bin Harith ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports, "I did not see anyone who smiled more than the
Messenger of Allah."
(Shama'il Tirmidhi)

Knowledge is happiness; when you know, you smile.

Anas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬was a young boy when Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬arrived in madinah – his
mother gave him as a servant to Rasulullah ‫ – صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬she knew this would be the best
privilege her son could get. After his death, Anas said: I served Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬for 10
years and he never scolded me or told me why I didn‟t do this or why I did this. I never met him
but he was smiling.

Anas said: “The Apostle of Allah was one of the best men in character. One day he sent me to do
something, and I said: I swear by Allah that I will not go. But in my heart I felt that I should go
to do what the the Messenger of Allah had commanded me; so I went out and came upon boys
whe were playing in the street. All of a sudden the Messenger of Allah, who had come from
behind, caught me by the back of the neck, and when I looked at him he was laughing. He said:
Go where I ordered you, little Anas. I replied: Yes, I am going, the Messenger of Allah! Anas
said: I swear by Allah, I served him for seven or nine years, and he never said to me about a
thing which I had done: why did you do such and such? nor about a thing which I left: why did
you not do such and such?”
(Sunan Abu Dawud)

The least you could do is smile in someone‟s face.

When the prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬was ill, the companions didn‟t want to be led by anyone else
even if it was Abu Bakr. Once the prophet pulled his curtain to see them pray and he saw the
place packed and they were doing the salah together even though he was not their imam, and he
was so happy, he smiled. Even though the companions were in salah, they couldn‟t help looking
at him and they almost broke their salah to go to him. That smile made them remember him all
the time, and they remembered that smile long after he was gone.

Anas b. Malik ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reported, Abu Bakr led them in prayer due to the illness of the
Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) of which be died. It was a Monday and they stood
in rows for prayer. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) drew aside the curtain of
('A'isha's) apartment and looked at us while he was standing, and his (Prophet's) face was (as
bright) as the paper of the Holy Book. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) felt
happy and smiled. And we were confounded with joy while in prayer due to the arrival (among
our midst) of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), Abu Bakr stepped back upon
his heels to say prayer in a row perceiving that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)
had come out for prayer. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) with the help of his
hand signed to them to complete their prayer. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)

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went back (to his apartment) and drew the curtain. He (the narrator) said: The Messenger of
Allah (may peace be upon him) breathed his last on that very day.
(Sahih Muslim)

If you see Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬in your dream (will be discussed later) – we don‟t have any
physical image so what are we attaching ourselves to? We don‟t have images so we keep
focusing on Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬for worship. But Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬is our inspiration –
when we think of our ibaadah and worship, and actions, it‟s Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬we
remember. When we are tired, we remember Rasulullah ‫‟صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬s long qiyaam. When we
want to get angry, remember Rasulullah ‫‟صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬s akhlaq and how he would react in such
situations. When you want to laugh, you remember Rasulullah ‫‟صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬s laugh was a big
smile, and you control yourself. How did he do all that he did? How can I, in this age, live the
life of Rasulullah ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬Live with Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬in this class as if you see
him.

The Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said, “I wish I could see my brothers.” (The Companions said)
Aren‟t we your brothers O Prophet of Allah? He replied: “No, you are my Companions. My
brothers are those who come after me and believe in me without seeing me.”
(Musnad Imam Ahmad).

Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬delivered his message and then left his companions and followers to
carry on. We are the ones left to carry on the legacy of Rasulullah ‫ - صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬do not fail
him in this age. How would you feel meeting him on Judgment Day and you had a completely
different character than him? What will you say when he asks you what you‟ve done?

Breakdown of The Class
- Shamaa‟il is very exclusive in talking about his person, and more specifically, the man.
This will personalize Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬to you and bring him close to you so you
can see how intimate a relationship you can have. You can no longer say: I can‟t do this;
I‟m not like him. You can achieve what Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬achieved. Shamaa‟il is
divided into

 Al-Khalqiyyah: how he looked, dressed, etc; his physical characteristics.

 Ash-Shamaa‟il Al-Khuluqiyyah: His akhlaq and manners.

 Al-Khassaa‟is: characteristics specific to Rasulullah ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬This can be
subdivided into:

a. Ad-Dalaa‟il: the proofs of prophethood

b. Irhasaat: signs that showed his prophethood.

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i. Al-Mu‟jizaat: miracles given to Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬during his
lifetime to prove prophethood.

- What are some of the accusations against Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and how to counter
them.

- Resources so you can do your own research

- Salawaat: Say salawaat every time to increase your reward.

- The final chapter and moments of Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬shows that his akhlaq
continued to the last moments of his life.

This class is to make the beautiful connection to Rasulullah ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬Make it as close to
possible to what it would be like if you could see him. It is to increase your love or to learn to
love him because he was perfect in his character. If nothing but love of Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬comes from this class then the class has achieved its goal.

Hatan ibn Thabit described Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬in a very long poem; part of it goes:

‫وأحسن موك لم قط عيوي‬
‫و أجمل موك لم تلد ألوساء‬
‫كا هك خلقت مبرأ من كل عيب‬
‫كا هك قد خلقت كما تشاء‬
“Better than you my eyes have never laid upon
and more beautiful than you no woman has ever given birth to
it is as if you were born free from every deficiency
or it is as if you were created as you yourself had pleased”

SECTION 1: LOVE OF THE PROPHET

1 A – True Love

Anas narrates that Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said:
“None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to himself than his parents, his children, and
all of mankind”
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

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          

           

           

Say: if Your fathers, Your sons, Your brothers, Your wives, Your kindred, the wealth that You
have gained, the commerce In which You fear a decline, and the dwellings In which You delight
... are dearer to You than Allâh and his Messenger, and striving hard and fighting In his Cause ,
Then wait until Allâh brings about his decision (torment). And Allâh guides not the people who
are Al-Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
(At-Tawbah: 24)

- This ayah counts all the types of love.

o Love for parents is an obligatory type of love.

o Love for children is natural.

o For spouses, there is the passionate love.

o And the love of the land.

- If you are so much attached to the land that it endangers your akhlaq and your deen, if
any of these becomes more beloved to you than Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and His Messenger, it
is a warning from Allah ‫ .سبحانه وتعالى‬Many people have chosen items from this ayah to be
the object of their love. But you cannot be a true believer until your love for Allah ‫سبحانه‬
‫ وتعالى‬and His Messenger is more than for any of these.

- Our love of Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬is the core of our deen because you cannot worship Him
correctly without loving Him.

- Love fillah – loving thing for Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬is another act of worship

- Love ma„Allah ‫ :سبحانه وتعالى‬with Allah ‫ – سبحانه وتعالى‬when you put things with Allah
‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and love them the way Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬should be loved, this is very
dangerous and risky.

"There are three qualities, whosoever has them will taste the sweetness of Iman; Loving Allah
and His Messenger above all else, loving someone solely for the sake of Allah, and hating to
return to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, as much as he would hate being thrown

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into Hellfire."
(Al-Bukhari)

- The hadith indicates that if you don‟t have these things, you won‟t taste the sweetness of
eman

- Forget salah, fasting, all the other acts of worship - you have to love Allah ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬
and Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬above everything else

- That you love a person for the sake of Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and that you should hate to
renounce any principle of your deen also brings the sweetness of eman.

1 B – Why Love The Messenger?
1. Allah has commanded us to love him

- The obedience of Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬is the true display of love for Allah ‫سبحانه‬
‫ وتعالى‬and His Messenger. Love means taking action so if you love him, must obey him.
And if you obey him then you must love him.

2. Allah loves him

- If Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬loves someone, you should love him too.

Abu Hurayrah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬narrated that the Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said:
“If Allah loves a person, He calls Jibreel saying, „Allah loves so and so; O Jibreel love him.‟
And make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the heaven: ‘Allah loves so and so
therefore you should love him also,‟ and so all the inhabitants of the heaven would love him,
and then he is granted the pleasures of the people on the earth.”
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

3. His beautiful character and impeccable manners

- The akhlaq of Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬had, you cannot help but love him and feel
thankful and enslaved to him (in a good manner).

4. None of us will be able to truly emulate him till we love him

- You cannot truly follow his example unless you love him. Some people reject sunnah and
only follow Qur'an but if they study the sunnah, they‟d see that they have to follow him.
If you read the sunnah, you‟d feel compelled to follow Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬
because you would love him so much

5. The struggles he went through to make sure Islam would reach us today

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- Ibn Taymiyyah: As for the reason we love Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬more than anyone
else: all the khayr we acquire in this dunya, it is from following his example.

- The perpetual light on Judgment Day comes from what Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬
brought. The more you‟re conscious about his role in your live, the more you follow him
and the higher your rank will be.

6. His love and concern for us

           

  

“Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves (i.e. whom
you know well). It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad)
is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allâh, and beg Him to Pardon and forgive
Your sins, In order that You may enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-
fire), for the believers (He is) full of pity, kind, and Merciful.”
(At-Tawbah: 128)

- Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: sometimes I desire to make the salah long but I hear the
babies crying so I shorten the salah for fear the mothers would be distressed.

7. A person will be raised with those whom he loves

- A man came to Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬saying: a man who loves the righteous but
cannot catch up with them (as if he‟s saying, I can‟t reach your level). Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا‬
‫ عليه وسلن‬said: you will be with whom you love on Judgment Day.

o If your love is with Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬then you will be in the highest
level of Jannah.

- We call Rasulullah ‫ :صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬Al-Habib, which means “beloved”

- Khalil is the intense love that gets between the heart and the tissues. Before he died,
Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: I am free from every khalil among you. Allah ‫سبحانه وتعالى‬
made me His khalil as He made Ibrahim Khalil. If I were to take a Khalil, I would have
taken Abu Bakr.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
The Prophet said, "If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is my

10


brother and my companion (in Islam)."
(Sahih Bukhari)

- If he could have taken a person of this world to be his khalil, he would have taken Abu
Bakr ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬but he couldn‟t since Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬is his Khalil.

- You can mention him as Al-Habib Rasulullah ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬But our mashaa‟ik teach
us not to treat him like the regular people we love with a passionate love; call him by the
title Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬gave him – “Khalilullah.”

1 C – Signs of Love for Him:

That love has to be seen in the one who claims to love Rasulullah ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬The claim
cannot just be made with nothing to back it up.

1. Imitating and emulating him

- We have to follow his example.

Anas reported that:
“Three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet and asked how his worship was.
When they were informed, they considered their own worship to be insignificant and said:
'Where are we in comparison to the Prophet when Allah has forgiven his past and future sins?'
One of them said: 'As for me, I shall offer prayer all night long.' Another said: 'I shall observe
fasting perpetually, never to break it.' Another said: 'I shall abstain from women and will never
marry.' The Prophet then came to them and said: “Are you the people who said such things? I
swear By Allah that I fear Allah more than you do, and I am most obedient and dutiful among
you to Him, but still, I observe fasting (sometimes) and break it (at others); I perform (optional)
prayer (at night sometimes) and sleep at night (at others); I also marry. So whoever turns
away from my Sunnah (i.e. my way) is not from me.”
(Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

2. Loving what he loves

- Loving the things he loved e.g fasting, qiyam, wearing white thoubes.

- Some of the Companions loved Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬so much that they followed
him in specific acts that are not necessarily legal e.g the food he ate.

Anas ibn Malik reported:
A tailor invited the Messenger of Allah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬to a meal which he had prepared.
Anas ibn Malik said: I went along with the Messenger of Allah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬to that
feast. He presented to the Messenger of Allah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬barley bread and soup

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containing pumpkin, and sliced pieces of meat. Anas said: I saw the Messenger of Allah
‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬going after the pumpkin round the dish, so I have always liked the
pumpkin since that day.
(Sahih Muslim)

- You change your perceptions about things when you begin loving what he loves.

3. Loving that with which he was sent (the Qur'an and Sunnah)

- You cannot claim to love the Messenger without loving his example.

4. Frequently sending Salah and Salaam upon him

- You can do it in your heart, quietly to yourself – all the time. Don‟t need to wait for an
occasion to say it

5. Loving those whom he loved and those who love him

- Specifically his companions.

On the authority of Anas b. Malik:
[When the enemy got the upper hand] on the day of the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger of
Allah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬was left with only seven men from the Ansar and two men from the
Quraish. When the enemy advanced towards him and overwhelmed him, he said: Whoso
turns them away from us will attain Paradise or will be my Companion in Paradise. A man
from the Ansar came forward and fought [the enemy] until he was killed. The enemy
advanced and overwhelmed him again and he repeated the words: Whoso turns them away,
from us will attain Paradise or will be my Companion in Paradise. A man from the Ansar
came forward and fought until he was killed. This state continued until the seven Ansar were
killed [one after the other].
(Sahih Muslim)

After the martyrdom of the seventh Ansari in Uhud, two Quraishis were left guarding the
Prophet ‫ :صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬Talha bin Ubaidullah and Sad bin Abi Waqas. These two Sahabas
bravely fought the Quraish and used their own bodies as shields to protect Allah‟s Messenger
‫:صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬

Narrated Qais:
I saw Talha's paralyzed hand with which he had protected the Prophet on the day of Uhud.
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

6. Frequently remembering his life and ways

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- Remember him often – the companions used to teach their children his life as they taught
them Islam.

7. Encouraging others to study his life and following his way

- Doing this gives energy to the community – when you have a new baby, or children, you
keep talking about them every chance, even the littlest thing they do – remember
Rasulullah ‫‟صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬s life too – know about his life more than your own. The
sahabah knew about his life more than the lives of their own children.

1 D – His Rights Upon Us
1. To believe in him and everything he came with

- Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says to believe in Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and His Messenger – that is his
right upon us.

        

In order that You (O mankind) may believe in Allâh and His Messenger ‫ ,صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and that
You assist and honour him ‫,صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and (that you) glorify (Allâh's) praises morning and
afternoon.
(Al-Fath: 9)

2. To obey him and make him a reference point in our disputes

- When it comes to arguments, people tend to avoid Qur'an and Sunnah but that should be
our first and main point of reference.

3. To study his life

- It is his right that we know him and how else can we follow him if we don‟t know him?

4. To follow his way and emulate him

               

Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. Accept
Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love You and forgive You
of Your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
(„Al-„Imran: 31)

5. To send Salah and Salaam upon him

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Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said:
"The miser is the one who hears my name mentioned and does not seek blessings for me.”
(At-Tirmidhi)

6. To honour, love, and respect him

- We should not talk about Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬as we talk about and to each other.
Give him respect. Even his wives and companions – young and old – always mentioned
him by titles of respect.

7. To defend him

        

In order that you (O mankind) may believe in Allâh and His Messenger ‫ ,صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and that
you assist and honour him ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and (that you) glorify (Allâh's) praises morning and
afternoon.
(Al-Fath: 9)

Section 2: The Names of the Prophet

2 A – The Praised One
The name Muhammad is the derived object from the verb ‫ حمد‬which means to praise
exceedingly. Thus, he is the one who is praised exceedingly. Scholars offer the following reasons
as to why:

- He is the most praised by Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and the angels

- His name is mentioned in the Adhan and Salah, which are repeated frequently throughout
the day. He is the most praised by people – we praise him all the time. His name is being
celebrated all over the world like no one else.

- His name would go on to be the most used

- His name is also Ahmad, which means “the one who praises the most.” The most fearful
of Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬is Rasulullah ‫.صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬

- He is also Mahmood, which is another version of Muhammad ‫ ,صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬but less
popular.

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- He was also called Abul Qasim (after his first born son Qasim), which is his kunya

- When the Quraysh wanted to curse him, they used the opposite of his name and instead
called him “The one who is cursed.” The sahabah got upset about this but Rasulullah ‫صلى‬
‫ هللا عليه وسلن‬calmed them:

Narrated Abu Hurayra:
Allah's Apostle said, "Doesn't it astonish you how Allah protects me from the Quraish's abusing
and cursing? They abuse Mudhammam and curse Mudhammam while I am Muhammad (and not
Mudhammam)"
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

2 B – The Story Behind His Name
The books of Seerah mention that the Prophet was named by his grandfather, Abdul Muttalib.
When Abdul Muttalib was asked why he named his grandchild and name unknown by his
relatives and the people, he responded, “I hope that he will be the one who is praised in the
heavens and earth.”

- Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬inspired him to call him Muhammad ‫.صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬

- The other stories on the topic are not the most authentic.

2 C – His Lineage
Muhammad bin „Abdullah bin „Abdul Muttalib (Shaybah) bin Hashim („'Amr) bin „Abd Munaf
(Al-Mughirah) bin Qusayy (Zayd) bin Kilab bin Murrah bin Ka‟b bin Lu‟ayy bin Ghalib bin
Fahr (Quraysh) bin Malik bin An-Nadr (Qays) bin Kinanah bin Khuzaymah bin Mudrikah
(„Amir) bin Ilyas bin Mudar bin Nizar bin Ma‟ad bin Adnan
(Reported by Bukhari)

- Some books of seerah go all the way up to Adam but that is not as authentic. This is the
most authentic narration.

2 D – His Other Names
A principle in Arabic language states, “The more names an object has, the more prestigious and
magnificent it is.” Based on this principle, we realize why Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and the Day of
Judgment have so many names.

When it comes to the names of the Prophet , the scholars have attempted to enumerate them.
Imam As-Suyuti came up with roughly 500 different names. Whereas, the Maliki scholar Ibn al-
„Arabi lists close to a thousand different names for the Prophet .

Here is a small glimpse into those names:

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It is related that Jubayr bin Mut‟im said:
that the Messenger of Allah said: “I have five names: I am Muhammad and ahmad. I am Al-
Mahi, the Effacer by whom Allah will efface disbelief. I am Al-Hashir, the Gatherer, after whom
the people will be gathered, and I am Al-„Aqib, there will be no Prophet after me.”
(Shaih Al-Bukhari)

- Attributes include things like The Prophet of Mercy, etc derived by the scholars. But
these are not his names – only the 5 mentioned are his names.

- What is the hukm of naming children after him?

o Muhammad is the most celebrated and popular name in the world. Rasulullah
‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said call your children by my name but not by my kunya. Can use
other names of his but preferably not with the “Al.”

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported
that a child was born to a person from the Ansar and he made up his mind to give him the name
of Muhammad. He came to Allah's Apostle ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and, asked him (about it), whereupon
he ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: “The Ansar have done well to give the name (to your children) after my
name, but do not give them the kunya after my kunya.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

- How about naming your first son Qasim? The 'ulema differ about it but some say that
there was a reason behind this prohibition in the time of the prophet where, if that kunya
was mentioned, people would immediately think of Rasulullah ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬Now
there is no reason for the prohibition as Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬is not among us
anymore so it cannot be referring to him when used.

- His name Muhammad wasn‟t common in Arabia before his time but after people began to
be named that as AbdulMuttalib was their leader and they followed his example.

- Names that say “Slaves of the Messenger/ nabi” Etc are not allowed.

- Mostafa is an attribute (the Chosen One) but not a name of Rasulullah ‫.صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬

- TaHa and so on are not names of the Messenger nor should they be names – they are
letters of the alphabet; it is like calling your child ABDC!

2 E – His Mention in the Scriptures

2 E.1 – The Qur'an

Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬is mentioned by name 4 times in the Qur'an:

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                  

           

Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed (many) Messengers have passed away
before Him. if He dies or is killed, will You Then turn back on Your heels (as disbelievers)? and
He who turns back on his heels, not the least harm will He do to Allâh, and Allâh will give
reward to those who are grateful.
(Al-„Imran: 144)

                 



Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger of Allâh and the
Last (end) of the Prophets. And Allâh is ever All-Aware of everything.
(Al-Ahzab: 40)

- This is the ayah revealed to cancel adoption.

               

   

But those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and believe In that which is sent down to
Muhammad , for it is the Truth from their Lord, He will expiate from them their sins, and will
make good their state.
(Muhammad: 2)

               

                 

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            

             

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allâh, and those who are with Him are Severe against
disbelievers, and Merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate
(in prayer), seeking Bounty from Allâh and (His) good Pleasure. the mark of them (i.e. of their
Faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of (their) prostration (during prayers). This is
their description In the Taurât (Torah). but their description In the Injeel (Gospel) is like a
(sown) seed which sends forth its shoot, Then makes it strong, it Then becomes thick, and it
stands Straight on its stem, delighting the sowers that He may enrage the disbelievers with them.
Allâh has promised those among them who believe (i.e. All those who follow Islâmic
Monotheism, the Religion of Prophet Muhammad till the Day of Resurrection) and do
righteous good deeds, Forgiveness and a mighty reward (i.e. Paradise).
(Al-Fath: 29)

                

               

And (remember) when 'Iesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: "O Children of Israel! I am the
Messenger of Allâh unto You confirming the Taurât [(Torah) which came] before Me, and giving
glad tidings of a Messenger to come after Me, whose Name shall be Ahmed. but when He
(Ahmed i.e. Muhammad ) came to them with clear proofs, they said: "This is plain magic."
(As-Saff: 6)

- He was mentioned much more in the Qur'an in other ways such as “Ya Ayu-han nabi…,”
which means “Oh Prophet”, etc but not by name more than these times.

2 E.2 – The Torah and the Gospel

References: “What Did Jesus Really Say”

And the Lord said unto me, “They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise
them a Prophet from among their bretheren like unto thee, and will put My words in His mout;l
and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come to pass that
whosoever will not hearken unto My words which He shall speak in My Name, I will require it

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of him”
(Deuteronomy 18:17-19)

And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, “Read this,” he says, “I cannot
read”
(Isaiah 29:12)

Nevertheless I will tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you
(John 16:7)

The disciples answered, “O Master, who shall that man be of whom you speak, who shall come
into the world?” Jesus answered with joy of heart, “He is Muhammad, Messenger of God, and
when he comes into the world, even as the rain makes the earth to bear fruit when for a long time
it has not rained, even so shall be occasion of good works among men, through the abundant
mercy which he shall bring. For his is a white cloud full of the mercy of God, which mercy God
shall sprinkle upon the faithful like rain.”
(Barnabas 163)

Jesus answered, “Believe me, Barnabas, that every sin, however small it be, God punishes with
great punishment, seeing that God is offended at sin. Wherefore, since my mother and my
faithful disciples that were with me loved me a little with earthly love, the righteous God has
willed to punish this love with the present grief, in order that it may not be punished in the
flames of hell. And though I have been innocent in the world, since men have called me „God,‟
and „Son of God,‟ God, in order that I be not mocked of the demons on the day of judgment, has
willed that I be mocked of men in this world by the death of Judas; making all men to believe
that I died upon the cross. And this mocking shall continue until the advent of Muhammad, the
Messenger of God, who, when he shall come, shall reveal this deception to those who believe in
God‟s Law.” Having thus spoken, Jesus said, “You are just, O Lord our God, because to you
only belongs honour and glory without end.”
(Barnabas 220)

SECTION 3 – THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROPHET
3 A – The Muhammadan Characteristics
1. ‫ الشما ئل المحمد ية‬is a study of the characteristics, traits, and attributes of the Prophet .
These characteristics include, and are not restricted to, his physical demeanor, his
character/manners, and those things which were exclusive to him.
- Many books are written about Ash-Shamaa‟il Muhammadiyyah.
- The different categories of this topic include:

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o Physical Characteristics e.g his face, skin colour, hair colour, what he used to
wear, what he used to carry with him, his perfume, his sandals, etc – i.e
everything related to his person.
o His manners and akhlaq: that is, how he dealt with people
 His akhlaq in terms of ibaadah – how he fasted, prayed, etc - his akhlaq
with his Creator. All the three (AlMaghrib) classes on ibaadah are on his
ibaadah in general so that will not be our focus in this class
 His akhlaq with people: his kindness, how he dealt with muslims, etc
o Al-Khasaa‟is: the exclusive qualities and characteristics of Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬e.g the fact that he married more than 4 wives.

3 B – How Does Shama’il Differ From Seerah?
2. The Seerah is a detailed study of the life of the Prophet , usually from the angle of
chronological events, whereas, Shamaa‟il is void of chronology and focuses more on who
the Prophet was as an individual. It is quite common for a book of Seerah to have a
section on the Shamaa‟il of the Prophet.
- Seerah follows chronological order of Rasulullah ‫‟صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬s life and especially the
milestones such as battles, etc
- Ash-Shamaa‟il doesn‟t focus on that. It can focus on instances irrelevant of its
chronological order.

What prompted the 'ulema to collect these narrations about Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬when it
wouldn‟t necessarily improve our worship?

- They said it was to show how much the sahabah loved the Rasulullah ‫– صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬
they loved him more than they loved themselves. It‟s like the example of a parent
describing their child; they knew everything about him to the extent of how many grey
hairs on his head. Who would stop to count that except someone who loves him so much?
Every time they looked at him they were just fulling their eyes with him because of their
love for him.

- Ash-Shamaa‟il falls under the topic of hadith more than seerah and maghaazi so it is
usually based on more authentic ahadith.

3 C – The Physical Description Of The Prophet

Hassan ibn Thabit was a famous poet in Arabia even before the advent of Prophethood. When
Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬arrived in Madinah, some of the mushrikeen bribed him to go to
Muhammad ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and write a poem bashing him. He took their money and went to
Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬to meet him. When he met him and saw him, he couldn‟t do what he
was supposed to do. He went back and returned their money and instead of bashing Rasulullah
‫ ,صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬he wrote this:

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When I saw his light shinning forth,
In fear I covered my eyes with my palms,
Afraid for my sight because of the beauty of his form.
So I was scarcely able to look at him at all.
The lights from his light are drowned in his light
And his faces shines out like the sun and moon in one.
A spirit of light lodged in a body like the moon,
A mantle made up of brilliant shinning stars.
I bore it until I could bear it no longer.
I found the taste of patience to be like better aloes.
I could find no remedy to bring me relief
Other than delighting in the sigh of the one I love.
Even if he had not brought any clear signs with him,
The sight of him would dispense with the need for them.
Muhammad is a human being but not like other human beings.
Rather he is a flawless diamond and the rest of mankind is just stones.
Blessings be on him so that perhaps Allah may have mercy on us
On that burning Day when the Fire is roaring forth its sparks.

- There is a whole diwan of his poetry about Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬that can be found
in Arabic online.
- On the other hand, some sahabah were never able to fill their eyes with his face e.g 'Amr
ibn Al-„As ‫ .رضي هللا عنه‬He had fought against Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬most of his life
and when he entered Islam, he was so ashamed – when he came to accept Islam, and
Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬extended his hand, 'Amr withdrew his hand and asked for one
condition – that all his sins be forgiven. Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: Ya 'Amr don‟t
you know Islam erases everything before?

Amr ibn Al-Aas said:
“When Allah guided me to Islam, I went to the Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and said to him
„O Prophet of Allah! Stretch out your hand so that I might pledge my allegiance to you.‟
The Prophet stretched out his hand to me, but I withdrew my hand. He said „What is the
matter, Amr ?‟ I replied „I wish to lay down some conditions.‟ The Prophet asked „What
conditions do you wish to put forward?‟ I said „that all my past sins be forgiven.‟ The
Prophet said „O Amr! Do you not know that (embracing) Islam wipes out all past sins,
and hijjrah (emigration for Allah‟s cause) wipes off all sins, and similarly pilgrimage
removes all past sins.‟
(Sahih Muslim)

- 'Amr said he was never able to look at Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬so he couldn‟t describe
him.

3 C.1 – The Physical Description And Beauty Of The Prophet
- If there was anyone who could describe him, it would be his cousin, son-in-law and
father of his two grandsons….

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„Ali ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬described the noble features of the Prophet :
“The Messenger of Allah was neither very tall nor short, but of a medium stature amongst his
people. His hair was neither very curly nor very straight, but had a slight wave in it. (Typical
Mediterranean description) He did not have a big body or a round face, but his blessed face was
slightly round. His complexion was white with redness in it. His blessed eyes were extremely
black. His eyelashes were long. The joints of the body were large, as was the portion between
the two shoulders broad and fully fleshed. He had no excessive hair on his body. He had a thin
line of hair running from the chest to the navel. His hands and feet were fully fleshed. When he
walked, he lifted his legs with vigor, as if he were descending to a low lying place. When he
addressed a person he turned his whole body towards that person. The Seal of Prophethood was
situated between his shoulders. He was the last of all prophets. He was the most generous and
the most truthful. He was the most kind-hearted and came from a most noble family. Any person
who saw him suddenly would become awe-inspired. Anyone who describes his noble features
can only say, “I have never seen anyone like the Messenger of Allah, not before him, not after
him.”
(Shama‟il al-Tirmidhi)

Jabir ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said,
“I once saw the Messenger of Allah on the night of a full moon. On that night, he wore red
clothing. At times I looked at the full moon and at times at the Messenger of Allah. Ultimately I
came to the conclusion that the Messenger of Allah was more handsome, beautiful and more
radiant than the full moon.”

3 C.2 – The Seal Of Prophethood
- The prophet carried a physical seal on his back of him being the seal of the Prophets.
- The 'ulema describe it saying:
o it was the size of a pigeon‟s egg (like a quarter)
o between his shoulders, closer to the left
o some hairs growing on the seal
o it was like a pimple coming out of his back (i.e it was prominent coming out of
his back)
o it was like making a fist on his back
o some describe it as a wart (i.e a cauliflower texture)
- The most famous story of his seal is that of Salman Al-Farsi ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬who grew up in
Persia and studied under various monks until they all died and left him to wait for the
arrival of the new prophet. He was captured as a slave and worked for a Jewish master in
Medinah. When he heard of Rasulullah ‫‟صلى هللا عليه وسل‬s arrival, he went to see him. He
said:
“ I was (one day) on a Palm-tree on top of one of its 'Adaaq (date-clusters) doing some work for
my master. A first cousin of him came and stood in front of him (his master was sitting) and said:
'Woe to Banee Qeelah (people of the tribe Qeelah), they are gathered in Qibaa' around a man
who came today from Mecca claiming that he was a Prophet!

22


When I heard that, I shivered until was about to fall down on my master. I came down and I said:
what do say? what do you say!? My master became angry and punched me with a powerful
punch and said: What kind of business do you have in this (matter)?' Go mind your business. I
said: 'Nothing! I just wanted to be sure of what he was saying.

On that evening I went to see the Messenger of Allah while he was in Qibaa'. Itook with me
something I had saved. I went in and said: 'I was told that you are a righteous man and that your
company (who) are strangers (here) are in need, and I want to offer you something I saved as
charity. I found that you deserve it more that anyone else'. Salman said: 'I offered it to him; he
said to his companions: 'eat, and he kept his hand off (i.e. did not eat). 'I said to myself: 'this is
one (i.e., one of the signs about his Prophethood.”
Salman Returned the next day for the second sign; he told Rasulullah ‫:صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬
“I saw that you don't eat from the charity, here is a gift that I wanted to honor you with. The
Prophet (PBUH) ate from it and ordered his companions to do the same which they did. I said to
myself: 'Now they are two (i.e., two of the Prophet's signs came true.')”

The next night, he returned again to confirm the prophethood of Muhammad ‫.صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬

“I greeted him (with the Islamic Salaam: Peace be upon you) then I moved towards his back
attempting to see the seal (of Prophethood) that was described to me by my friend. When he
(PBUH) saw me (doing so) he knew that I was trying to confirm something described to me. He
took the garment off his back and I looked at the seal. I recognized it. I came down on it kissing
it and crying. The Messenger of Allah told me to move around (i.e., to talk to him). I told him my
story as I did with you Ibn Abbas (remember that Salman is telling his story to Ibn Abbas). He
(the Prophet-PBUH) liked to tell my story to his companions.”

- Salman was an old man when he accepted Islam and when he had started his journey he
was a young boy – he spent most of his life searching for the truth, imagine him as he
finally met Rasulullah ‫ !صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬asked him to tell him
his story and helped him plant the date trees he owed his master to free himself. He
became the first governor of Persia when 'Umar ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬conquered it.

1. „Abdullah bin Sarjas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said, “I came to the Messenger of Allah while people
were sitting in his company. I went around to his back and the Messenger of Allah
understood what I was trying to do. He removed the shawl from his back. I saw the
place of the Seal of Prophethood between his two shoulders. It was like a cluster
surrounded by moles which appeared to be like a tag. I came in front of the Messenger
of Allah and said to him, „May Allah forgive you‟ and he replied, „May Allah forgive you
too‟. The people then began to question if the Messenger of Allah had supplicated for my
forgiveness, and I replied, „Yes, and for you too, because Allah has said, “O Muhammad,
seek forgiveness for yourself and the believers, male and female.””‟

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3 C.3 – The Blessed Hair Of The Prophet
- Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬always maintained his hair except when he was traveling
- It wasn‟t that curly or that straight; it was wavy
Qatadah bin Di‟amah as-Sadusi relates,
“I asked Anas ‫„ رضي هللا عنه‬How was the hair of the Messenger of Allah?‟. He replied, „It was
not very curly, nor very straight. It had a slight twist and was a bit curled, and reached till his
ear-lobes‟.”
- It was dark, black
- He had different styles: sometimes he combed it back, to the side, parted in the middle,
sometimes it would go down to his shoulder, or sometimes to his earlobes or many times,
he would just shave completely. Sometimes he braided his hair, following the custom of
the Arabs. When he did these things, he was following the normal traditions of his
people. Regardless of how he wore it, Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: If you grow your
hair, take care of it.
o They used to use oil to take care of the hair/beard and keep it shinny
- He used to use hinna to dye his hair. They used to use the dark colour that‟s extremely
dark red to black, so it would come out to a brownish colour. It didn‟t show much as a
colour; it was mainly to take care of the hair.
- Some say he had 11, 14, 24-5 grey hairs. They would be very close to him, standing
above him, guarding him, etc. when he combs his hair, he covers them but when he was
traveling and his hair gets disheveled, that‟s when they come out. He said that they came
because of the horrors he read in Surah Hud and so on.
Anas bin Malik ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports,
“I did not count more than fourteen white hairs on the head and beard of Allah‟s Messenger.”

- His beard was very thick and black. It was said to fill and cover his neck. When he spoke,
people from behind could see it move. He used to stroke it whenever he was very upset,
stressed out, or in deep thought ‫.صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬

3 C.4 – The Prophet’s Garments
Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬says in the Qur'an:

               

     
O Children of Adam! we have bestowed raiment upon You to cover yourselves (screen Your
private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better. such

24


are among the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allâh, that they
may Remember (i.e. leave falsehood and follow Truth ).
(Al-„A‟raf: 26)

 However you try to cover yourself, if your akhlaq is not good, you always look bad to
people. The best thing you can beautify youself with is taqwa, and the Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬was the most pious.

- The prophet would use whatever he had and didn‟t go looking for fancy clothes. Today
people are obsessed with brand names and specific stores while the prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬never cared about style; he wore whatever he had, even if it wasn‟t the nicest clothes
around.
- He followed the tradition of his people e.g if they wore shirts and pants, he wore shirts
and pants. Dress from that which is common among the people except that which is
haram e .g too tight, see-through, etc.
- He never rejected something that was available and he didn‟t look for something that
didn‟t exist.
- He wore clothes made of wool, qittan, and he had some special garments for Eidayn and
Jummu‟a. Don‟t be ashamed of what Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬blessed you with and don‟t worry
about whether or not people saw you in something before. Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬
didn‟t have an abundance of clothes, only a few pieces.
- Whenever people came in a delegation, he‟d receive them with the best clothes. Once
'Umar ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬and Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬were walking and they saw a nice suit
and 'Umar suggested he buy it for jummua and delegations and Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬agreed and bought it.
- They used to wear 2 pieces. They have a long qamis and a short one. Whenever he wore
the short qamis, he would wear the bottom part as well, what is called the izar.
Umm Salamah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬relates,
“Of all the clothing, the Messenger of Allah preferred wearing the qamis the most.”
- He used to wear an imamah (turban) and this is all the tradition of the Arabs, i.e not based
on a legal ruling. His favorite color was white because it was a sign of cleanliness and
purity, and makes you careful about keeping clean.
Bin „Abbas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬says that the Messenger of Allah used to say,
“Choose white clothing, as it is the best clothing. And bury your dead in it.”
- They also used to wear an outer garment: the burdah. This usually comes from Ash-
Sham, and would be thicker than normal because it was especially made for winter
season. He had burds that came from Yemen (these were striped), some from east of
Arabian Peninsula, and also some from Ash-Sham, which were called Jubbatun
Rummiyyah.
o This also shows he wore clothes from different places i.e made from non-
Muslims.
- He never wore silk or gold; he once grabbed them, and said “These are halaal for the
women of my ummah, but not the men.”

25


o This refers to things that are pure silk/gold, or have a significant ratio of pure
silk/gold. The Prophet (pbuh) allowed the amount of four fingers, as embroidery,
etc., unless the person was allergic to other fabrics.
- Whenever he wore something, he made du'a, saying “Alhamdulillah for their clothing,
which took no work from me.”
- His clothes never went below his ankle.
o Is this fard for us? No. Wearing clothes above the ankle was a cultural issue for
them.
- We were forbidden to show-off or trying to stand out from the norm.
o We live in a culture where people are competing in impressing each other. The
less you wear, the more you stand out.
o “Whoever wears a dress just to show off in this dunyah, Allah will clothed him
with clothes of humiliation on the day of Judgment, and they will be tortured in
the fire.”
- We are not allowed to wear the clothes of the opposite gender.
- In hot weather, Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬would keep his shirt unbuttoned.
o A young sahabah shared an account of when a delegation crowded the Prophet
(pbuh) and he was almost pushed into him. His hand was on the Prophet (pbuh)‟s
chest, and he said it felt cool. After that, he always kept his shirt unbuttoned to
follow Rasulullah ‫.صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬

3 C.5 – The Prophet’s Sandals
Qatadah reports,
“I asked Anas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬to describe the sandals of Allah‟s Messenger and he replied, „Each
sandal had two straps‟”.
(Shamai‟l al-Tirmidhi)

Abu Hurayrah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬relates that the Prophet said,
“Whenever one of you puts on his shoes, he should begin with the right, and when he removes
his shoes he should begin with the left. The right foot should be first when putting on, and last
when removing.”

- He wore what his people wore. It was most common to wear sandals.
- Leather socks were worn in the winter.
- He even recommended walking barefoot sometimes.
o Book: The Brain That Changes Itself talks about the plasticity of the brain . it says
that when you always wear shoes, you deceive the sensors in your foot to think
everything is flat. So when you walk barefoot, your feet cannot deal with the ups
and downs of the land anymore.
 Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬told us this centuries ago.
- How to reconcile not showing off with wearing nice things? The Sunnah of the Prophet
‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬is to wear that is common or reasonable. Wearing nice things is haaal.

26


Allah loves to see the khayr He provides you on you. But if you strain to afford elite
clothing, this is what is not good.
o The Prophet (pbuh) spoke about arrogance being a major sin. So a companion
asked, “What if I just like ot have nice clothes and shoes?” The Prophet (pbuh)
said, “This isn‟t a sign of arrogance. Arrogance is when you deny the truth and
humiliate other people.”

3 C.6 – The Prophet’s Ring
Bin „Umar ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬narrates that
“Allah‟s Messenger had a ring made of silver. He used it as a stamp on letters, but did not
always wear it.”

- He had a ring made of silver, not gold. It wasn‟t out of his common practice because he
didn‟t wear it for many years. He wore it when he came to Medina and wanted to
correspond with the other nations but he was told that they don‟t accept correspondences
except that it is sealed so he commanded a ring be made for him with the seal of
Prophethood on it. It is available in the museum in Egypt today and copies are all over.
He would always wear the seal on the inside of his hand to protect it. When he used the
bathroom, he‟d take it off so as to not enter with anything with the name of Allah ‫سبحانه‬
‫ وتعالى‬on it. It was given to Abu Bakr then 'Umar then Uthman, all of them carrying it as
the official seal of the Islamic State. However, once Uthman was getting water from a
well, it slipped out and got lost. Some of the 'ulema say perhaps it was a mercy that it was
lost because it may have caused a lot of bloodshed to get it as a symbol of the Islamic
Khalifah.
- Sometimes he wore it on his left hand and sometimes on his right

3 C.7 – The Prophet’s Sword
Anas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports that
“the handle of the sword of the Prophet of Allah was made of silver.”
- He had many swords (over 9) during his lifetime and this was the custom of the Arabs for
it was their pride and honour. They used to name them as well – 'Ali received the one
named Dhulfiqar.
- He had many spears and armours (that were also named) as well.
- They used to carry banners to war of various colors.

3 C.8 – The Prophet’s Turban
Bin „Umar ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports,
“When the Messenger of Allah fastened an „amamah, he used to put the shamlah between his
shoulders.”
- He wore it in different styles.
- His most famous is the white one called: “As-Sahaar: The Cloud”

27


Don‟t get too attached to the items that they claim these days to belong to Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬because you‟ll be disappointed – how can you even know if this hair belongs to him?

3 D – The Etiquettes Of The Prophet
3 D.1 – The Walk Of The Prophet
Abu Hurayrah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said,
“I did not see anyone walk faster than the Messenger of Allah. It was as if the earth folded for
him. A few moments ago he would be here, and then there. We found it difficult to keep pace
when we walked with him, and he walked at his normal pace.”
- They used to describe him as walking firm (i.e it doesn‟t look like he‟s tired, exhausted),
he walks as if he‟s going downhill (when you‟re going downhill, you walk faster, and
more powerfully)
o He was given the power of 30 people.
o He was known for his bravery, skill and courage. One night there was a big cry in
Medina and by the time the sahabah were prepared to check, he was coming back
in his izar and telling them everything was okay.
- Walking meekly and humbly is not the sign of strong eman. You can still be pious and be
strong, and powerful.
- He used to sit down in various positions: murabbi, sometimes he would lie leaning on one
side. Sometimes ihtibal: sitting locking arms around knees (provided that he is
completely covered).
- When Adi ibn Hatim came to visit Medina, he was surprised to find Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا‬
‫ عليه وسلن‬sitting on the floor with his companions and he said that this man is not a king.
- People used to come see him and wouldn‟t know him because he was like everyone else;
i.e he did not put himself above his companions by any physical means.

3 D.2 – The Eating And Drinking Of The Prophet
- His normal food is now called “a special diet.” People spend thousands of dollars to learn
what Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬already taught us.
- He used to eat natural and “organic”
o Olive oil (with some salt)
o Rye bread (very healthy)
o Honey
o Milk
o Yogurt
o Butter

28


o Dates
o Meat
- However he never ate all of this in one meal – that would have been a feast. Today, we
see this and what to know if these are just the appetizers.
- He used to eat that which was available and didn‟t wish for what wasn‟t there and never
criticized food and he used to eat leftovers. What‟s the problem with leftovers? If the
prophet loved it, what‟s wrong with that?
- The prophet went hungry and he filled his stomach; he thirsted and drank; he hosted and
he was a guest to others.
- The Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said, “The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than
his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him
going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third
with drink and one third with air.” (Tirmidhi)
o If you have to leave the table with a desire for the food, that‟s good.
o And it‟s 1/3 of the average, and for all of the food, not just the main course.
o Is it permissible to eat until I fill my stomach? It‟s permissible every now and
then.
Abu Hurayrah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬relates:
"By Allah, except whom there is no God, during the days of the Holy Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬I
used to press my stomach against the ground due to extreme hunger, or I used to tie a stone over
it. One day I was sitting by the side of a public thoroughfare when the Holy Prophet ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬passed by me. On seeing me he smiled and recognized from my face my condition (that I was
hungry). He called "Abahir" (meaning Abu Hurayra) and I responded: 'I am here, O Messenger
of Allah'. He said: 'Come along with me' and he walked on; I followed him.
On reaching home he sought permission of the inmates, and entered, and also permitted me to
enter in the house. He found a cup full of milk, and asked the inmates 'From where has this milk
come? They said: 'It is a present for you from some gentleman or lady.' He called me 'Abahir'
and I responded: 'I am here, O Messenger of Allah'. He said: Go and call my Suffah
Companions.' These companions were the guests of the Muslims, who had no house, no property,
no friends or relatives with whom they could live. As such they were guests of all Muslims.
Whenever the Holy Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬received something as charity he used to send it to
them and would not retain anything out if it for himself (as charity was forbidden for him and his
family). However, whenever he received something as a gift he would send for them and shared
it with them.
But on this occasion I did not like his invitation to them, and thought: 'How would this milk
suffice so many? I deserve this more than others, as by drinking it I might gain some energy.
When these companions of the Suffah would come, the Holy Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬will ask me

29


to serve the milk to them. When they start drinking I do not think that anything would be left for
me out of this milk. But what could I have done, I could not dare avoid the orders of Allah ‫سبحانه‬
‫ وتعالى‬and His Messenger ‫.صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬
Accordingly I went out and called them; they came and solicited permission to come in, which
was granted and they came in and took their seats. The Holy Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬called me
'Abahir' and I replied: 'I am here, O Messenger of Allah.' He said: 'Take hold of the cup of milk
and give it to them.' I took the cup and passed it to one man who would drink and when he felt
satisfied, he would return it to me, and I would give it to the next person who likewise drank the
milk to his fill. I went on doing this till the cup reached the Holy Prophet ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬By that
time all had drunk the milk to their satisfaction.
The Holy Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬took the cup in his hand, looked towards me, smiled and said:
'Abahir?' I said 'I am here, O Messenger of Allah.' He said, "Now only two persons, myself and
you are left!" I said: "Of course, O Messenger of Allah, you are right." Then he said: "Sit and
drink." I sat down and started drinking the milk. The Holy Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: "Take
more." I took a bit more and he continued saying; 'Drink a little more', till I said: By Allah! Who
has commissioned you with the truth , now I have no more room in my stomach.' He said: 'Then
let me have it.' So I passed on the cup to him. He thanked Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬and with the name of
Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬drank the milk which was left in the cup.
(Bukhari)
o But filling your stomach was not the norm as it is today where we do it every
meal, every day. Don‟t teach your kids to eat as if there‟s no more food or they‟ll
never have food again.
- He used to eat meat once in a while and he loved the shoulder and roasted meat. Once he
was invited to an Ansar‟s house and they were roasting meat and he smelled it as said it
seems as though they know we like roasted meat.
- His general habit was to eat from the floor. It‟s actually healthier because you force your
stomach to adjust to how you‟re sitting as opposed to giving it as much space as possible
to take in as much food as possible.
- He never ate flat bread (pita, paratha, etc), and he never ate bleached flour – it was
always whole grain, whole wheat.
- He ate chicken and different kinds of bird
- He recommended the olive oil for food and for cosmetics
- He loved the sweet food especially honey
- He loved vinegar and he said this is a very good food. He ate vinegar and bread.
Jabir b. „Abdullah reported:
Allah‟s Messenger ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬took hold of my hand one day (and led me) to his
residence. There was presented to him some pieces of bread, whereupon he said: Is there no

30


condiment? They (the members of his household) said: No, except some vinegar. He (the
Holy Prophet) said: Vinegar is a good condiment. Jabir said: I have always loved vinegar
since I heard it from Allah‟s Apostle ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬Talha said: I have always loved vinegar
since I heard about it from Jabir.
(Sahih Muslim)
- He ate yogurt and sometimes the meat was cooked with the yogurt.
- Cooked food was a luxury for them. Sometimes 3 months would pass and they wouldn‟t
eat cooked food – when was the last time we went a day without eating anything that was
cooked?
- He used to lick his fingers after eating and clean the entire plate (with his fingers, not
licking the actual plate!)
Anas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said,
“The Messenger of Allah used to lick his three fingers after having eaten.”

„Umar bin Abi Salamah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬came to the Messenger of Allah while food was being served
to him.
The Messenger of Allah said, “O my Son, come near, recite Bismillah, and eat with your right
hand from that portion which is in front of you.” (Shama‟il al-Tirmidhi)

- He liked water, and drank in three sips and used to drink sitting although he was seen
standing once.
„Amr bin Shu‟ayb‟s grandfather ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬relates,
“I had seen the Messenger of Allah drinking water whilst standing and also whilst sitting.”

- They used to put fruits in the water and leave it outside to become cold so it‟d be sweet
and cold.

„Aisha ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said,
“The drink most liked by the Messenger of Allah was that which was sweet and cold.”

3 D.3 – The Fragrance Of The Prophet
Abu Hurayrah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬narrates,
“The Messenger of Allah said, „The fragrance of a male is the fragrance which spreads and is
transparent, and the fragrance of a female is that which is coloured and less fragrant‟.”
- He always had a beautiful scent and loved the beautiful smells of this world. He said:
“Made beloved to me from your world are women and perfume, and the coolness of my eyes is in
prayer.”
(Ahmad & An-Nasa‟i)

31


- He likes the fragrance that spreads out and leaves no stain for the men and recommended
for women the ones that leaves the shininess but leaves no smell when you go out.
- The best fragrance is taking a shower!
- When Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬sweats, even then it smells like musk. Anas says in
Bukhari: I have never smelled no fragrance than the fragrance of Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫وسلن‬
- He never refused a gift of perfume. If you are given a gift of perfume and don‟t want it,
then take it but don‟t spread it on yourself.
- He used to put it on his hair, beard and clothes
- Most popular scent is musk – a natural oil from some animals that are halal. The pure
musk is very, very strong.

3 D.4 – The Speech Of The Prophet
„Aisha ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬relates,
“The speech of Allah‟s Messenger was not quick and continuous as that of yours. He spoke
clearly, word for word. A person sitting in his company remembered what he said.”
- He spoke clearly for people to understand and memorize
- He used to repeat his speech 3 times for people to understand
- Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬would be quiet until there was a need for him to talk
- He doesn‟t yell, scream, use vulgar language, etc
Narrated 'Aisha:
A group of Jews entered upon the Prophet and said, "As-Samu-Alaikum." (i.e. death be upon
you). I understood it and said, "Wa-Alaikum As-Samu wal-la'n. (death and the curse of Allah be
Upon you)." Allah's Apostle said "Be calm, O 'Aisha! Allah loves that one should be kind and
lenient in all matters." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Haven't you heard what they (the Jews) have
said?" Allah's Apostle said "I have (already) said (to them) "And upon you ! "
(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

- When he met people, he would be the first to extend his hands and shake and he‟d be the
last to pull away
- When someone spoke to him, he looked at them, listened, and gave them individual
attention, and kept looking until the person turned away

3 D.5 – The Smiling, Laughing, And Jesting Of The Prophet
„Abdullah bin Harith ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports,
“I did not see anyone who smiled more than the Messenger of Allah.”
- Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬was very normal. When it‟s funny, he laughs; if not, he
doesn‟t need t laugh but his laughing was smiling
- If it was extremely funny, he would have a big smile
„Abdullah bin Harith ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬related,
“The laugh of Allah‟s Messenger was but a smile.”
o that was his LOL

32


- He feels astonished and surprised at what people get astonished at – e.g at the story of
Bareerah and Mugheeth, so he said:

"O Abbas! Isn't it amazing how much Mugheeth loves Bareerah/Barirah and how much
Bareerah hates Mugheeth?"

Abu Hurayrah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports,
“The Sahabah asked, „O Messenger of Allah, you joke with us?‟ The Messenger of Allah
replied, „Yes, but only in truth‟.”

- The prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬also used to get angry but he wouldn‟t get angry for himself;
he would only get angry when the rights of Allah ‫ سبحانه وتعالى‬were violated. And even
when he gets angry, he would do something positive to help the situation. It‟s the course
of action that matters – if you channel your anger and use it positively, then that‟s good.
If not; if you go crazy, then you lose yourself and your deen in the process. Anger and
violence don‟t necessarily go together. His face would turn red but he would cool down
and fix the problem.
o If it‟s personal, cool down and let it go, if it‟s for deen, then take the right course
of action.
- Even when he‟s angry, Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬wouldn‟t utter anything but truth and
the same goes for when he‟s joking.
- He initiates jokes as well
Hasan al-Basri said,
“An old woman came to the Messenger of Allah and made a request, „O Messenger of Allah,
make du‟a that Allah grants me entrance into Jannah.‟ The Messenger of Allah replied, „O
Mother, an old woman cannot enter Jannah.‟ The woman began crying and started to leave.
The Messenger of Allah said, „Say to the woman that one will not enter in a state of old age,
but Allah will make all women of Jannah young and playful.‟”

Anas ibn Maalik ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬relates,
“Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬once told him jokingly, Ya dhal udhu-nayn (O‟ two eared one).”
(Shamaa‟il al-Tirmidhi)

Once a man was mentioned in front of Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬and he said, “The one with
the white in his eyes?” They responded that there was nothing wrong with the man‟s eyes
and Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said: Everyone has white in their eyes!

Narrated Anas bin Malik ‫, رضي هللا عنه‬
The Prophet used to mix with us to the extent that he would say to a younger brother of mine
(he had a bird called Umair), " Ya Aba umayr! Maa fa‟altu min nughayr?
(O father of Umair! What did the Nughayr (a kind of bird)?)"
(Sahih al-Bukhari)

33


Anas ibn Malik ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬relates
That a person requested Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬that he be given a conveyance.
Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬replied, “The baby of a camel shall be given to you.”
The person said, “What shall I do with the baby of a camel O‟ Messenger of Allah?” (I want
one for a conveyance).
Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬replied, “Every camel is the baby of a camel.”

Anas ibn Malik ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports,
“A resident of the wilderness whose name was Zaahir (ibn Hiraam Al-Ashja‟ee), whenever he
visited Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬he brought with him presents of the wilderness, vegetables
etc., and presented it to Rasulullah ‫ .صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬When he intended to leave Madinah,
Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬used to present him with provisions of the city. Once Rasulullah ‫صلى‬
‫ هللا عليه وسلن‬said, „Zaahir is our wilderness, and we are his city.‟ Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬was
attached to him. Zaahir ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬was not very handsome. Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬
approached him while he was selling his merchandise. Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬caught him in
between the arms from the back in such a manner that he (Sayyidina Zaahir radiyallahu anhu)
could not see him. Zaahir ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said, „Who is this?, leave me.‟ But when he saw with the
corner of his eye that it was Rasulullah ‫ ,صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬he straightened his back and began
pressing it to the chest of Rasulullah ‫( صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬For as long as he gained this opportunity
it was better than a thousand gifts). Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬then said, „Who will purchase this
slave?‟ Zaahir ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬replied, „O‟ Rasulullah, if you shall sell me, you will be selling a
defective thing, and will earn a very little sum.‟ Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬said, „No, you are not
defective in the sight of Allah, but very valuable.”

Auf Ibn Malik Ashjai ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬said:
That at the time of the battle of Tabuk he went to see the Prophet ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬At that time
the Prophet was sitting in a small round shaped tent of leather. Auf saluted the Prophet and
he returned the salutation. He further asked him to come into the tent. At this Auf
said, 'Should I come in, the whole of me?' The Prophet said, 'Yes, come in the whole of
you.' Then he entered the tent.
(Abu Dawud)

- And Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬also responded when people played pranks on him.
o There was a companion called Nuaiman and he was known as the court-jester
among the companions. Once Rasulullah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬was mounting his camel,
and Nuaiman took the saddle out from under him so he fell. Rasulullah ‫صلى هللا عليه‬
‫ وسلن‬laughed and so did the companions.

3 D.6 – The Devout Worship Of The Prophet
Al-Mughirah bin Shu‟bah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reports,
“The Messenger of Allah performed such lengthy night prayers, that his blessed legs would
become swollen. The companions said, „You undergo such strife, when Allah has forgiven your

34


past and future sins?‟ He responded, „Should I not be a grateful servant?‟”

Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬narrates,
“I prayed the night prayer with the Prophet one night, and he read al-Baqarah, al-Nisa, and Ali-
Imran.” (In another wording, he added al-Maidah and al-Anam, but was unsure of the order.)

- He would involve in the personal ibaadah more than the public one because it‟s easy to
be lazy by yourself. He used to wake up when everyone else was asleep and do qiyaam.
- He used to do his ibaadah with ihsan
o If you start something, try to keep it consistent.
Aishah ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reported:
The Messenger of Allah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬used to perform eleven Rak`ah (of Tahajjud) prayers at
night. He (PBUH) would prostrate so long as one of you might recite fifty Ayat (of the Qur'an).
Thereafter, he would perform two Rak`ah before Fajr prayers and would lie down on his right
side till the Mu'adhdhin would come and inform him about the time of (Fajr) prayer.
(Al-Bukhari)

o Once he made qiyaam with 1 ayah (kept repeating it)
„Aisha ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬narrates,
“One night, Allah‟s Messenger kept repeating one ayah the whole night, and continued to
weep. „If you should punish them – indeed they are your servants; but if You forgive them –
indeed it is You who is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.‟ (al-Ma‟idah:18)”

o Once Anas joined him for qiyam and it was so long, Anas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬thought of
leaving (he was just a young boy)
o Even when he got old, he would sit and do qiyaam
- He used to fast so much people would think he‟ll never break his fast. And sometimes he
wouldn‟t fast until people said he wouldn‟t fast again for that month
Anas ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬reported:
The Messenger of Allah ‫ صلى هللا عليه وسلن‬used to leave off observing Saum (fasting) during a
month until we thought that he would not observe Saum at all during it; and (sometimes) he
would observe Saum till we began to think that he would not omit any day of that month. If one
wished to see him performing Salat during the night, he could do that; and if one wished to see
him sleeping at night, he could do that.
(Al-Bukhari)

3 D.7 – The Weeping Of The Prophet
„Aisha ‫ رضي هللا عنه‬narrates,
“One night, Allah‟s Messenger kept repeating one ayah the whole night, and continued to
weep. „If you should punish them – indeed they are your servants; but if You forgive them –

35

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